Tracy St. John's Blog, page 214

Tutorial Tuesday - Writing Like Your Ass is on Fire: the First Draft

So here you are, ready to dive in and write your book.  You know your characters.  You know your plot.  You've got an outline to tell you where you're going.  It's time.

I describe the writing of my first drafts as 'quick and dirty'.  I'm all about getting in there and banging out the story just as hard and fast as I can go.  Why?  Because at the start, inspiration is at a fever pitch, and I'm not about to waste that heady motivation.  It's sloppy, it's nasty, it's a five-dollar whore moving through customers at light speed.  I'm laying out the bare bones of this beast, building my Frankenstein monster and bringing it to life.

Forget about pretty.  Forget about lyrical passages that are sheer poetry.  Forget finding that absolutely perfect word during the first pass. First drafts aren't about that.  Just get it out.  It's okay if the story is ragged with gaping holes and shredded sentence structure.  I promise you, it will hold together for now. 

You don't want to slow down for anything.  At this critical point if you stop and think too much about what you're doing, you run the chance of losing momentum and bogging down.  Don't worry about perfection quite yet.  That's what the next two (and three or four) drafts are for.  This first draft is the utilitarian foundation of concrete and rebar, the steel girders rising to poke ugly fingers at the sky.  The stunning architecture and stucco facade come later.  So just write.

When you've got that first scene down, move on to the next.  Do not stop at this point to rewrite the first bit you scribbled.  I have a very good reason for this advice.  Going back is a trap, a veritable oubliette waiting to put your story out of sight and mind of ever being seen by the outside world.  I have known far too many would-be authors who wrote the first chapter of their books and followed up with WEEKS of rewriting that first chapter before moving on.  These people usually gave up on that story before getting a quarter of the way through.  Exhausted, dispirited, all motivation sapped from them they walked away, never to write anything ever again. 

Not only can you overwrite the first draft to an early death, you might do all that work only to later find  that the story veers in an unplanned direction.  Thank your bitch of a muse for pulling that trick on you.  Now you have to go back to the beginning to lay the groundwork for your new ending!  If you've already spent weeks on the start of your novel to get it just right, having to do a whole new revamp ranks pretty high on the Suck-O-Meter.  If you'd settled for quick and dirty, you wouldn't have so much invested, so much work to redo. 

And speaking of the story changing in midstream (which happens to me more often than not), if that happens, by all that is holy, do NOT go back and re-write the beginning yet.  Instead, write yourself notes as to what changes must take place during the second draft phase.  After that, crank back up where you left off.  Keep on picking those chapters up and putting them down.  Go, go, go.

Why am I pounding on this point to keep going no matter what?  Because it is so much easier to correct mistakes and polish a completed story than it is to complete a story!  When you have finished that first draft, rife with errors, crappy prose, and continuity problems, you feel on top of the world because at least you have it down.  You have lots more work to do, but by golly the story is there, and you're not fighting to yank it out of your head and splat it onto the computer screen (or notebook if you're old school). 

Once you have reached the magnificent conclusion of your opus, pat yourself on the back because you deserve it.  You have written a book, from start to finish.  Good job. 

Now take at least a week off.  A month if you can contain your enthusiasm and aren't under a deadline.  Let the story percolate in your subconscious while you walk away from it for a bit.  Start outlining your next project while the first draft rests.  Then when you're ready to come back for round two, you'll see it with fresh eyes, catching the things you missed on the first go.

But more on that second draft later.

Monday Man Time

Did it make Monday worthwhile?  I hope so!

Six Sentence Sunday – The Font

Coming June 29
The friction of his flesh plying hers incited not just that heavy feeling of growing brightness, but also small, quick darts of pure stomach-twisting delight.  Her hips were moving against his now, forcing him in deeper, as deep as he could plunge.  She made little sounds of breathless encouragement as his glamour faded and she could vocalize again.Naya didn’t call for help.  She knew she was being stupid.  This vampire had forced himself on her, had drank of her blood, was even now still licking the wounds he’d made with the slow satisfaction of a cat tasting a few drops of cream. 

When Writing Ideas Attack

Okay, so I’ve heard of this dreadful condition known as ‘writer’s block’.  At the risk of jinxing myself, I’ve not yet experienced it.  In fact, I can’t write the stories I have in my head fast enough.
I scribble down my ideas as they come to me, because I don’t want to lose any of them down the holes of this Swiss cheese matter I call a brain.  And do you know what I discovered when I looked over this list?  If I finished a book every three months, I’d have over seven years’ worth of books planned.  SEVEN FREAKIN’ YEARS!   And still the ideas keep coming.
There is, of course, the Clans of Kalquor series, which I have at least five more books planned for.  There is the proposed Clans of Kalquor Beginnings spinoff (you did cast your vote in the poll, right?).  That one is the result of a reader who suggested prequels to the original series.  My overeager mind seized on the possibilities to the point where I know what will make up most of the books. I simply can’t resist the siren song of meeting the boys as they meet each other.  And from the looks of the poll so far, more than half of you can’t either.  
I even have a few nebulous thoughts on stories from the history of Kalquor, such as the War Between the Breeds, to name one.  And what about the children of the clans?  What sort of stories might the Earther/Kalquorian hybrids have to tell?  I even got an email from a reader this morning wondering the exact same thing (waving to Diane). 
Then there are the continuing adventures of Brandilynn in the Netherworld series, which looks like it will go five books, maybe six.  A few one-offs, like Unholy Union and the upcoming The Font, want to be written as well.
A series I know for a fact I’ll be delving into next year will be one called To Protect and Service.  Interdimensional BDSM, even grittier than the Clans of Kalquor, will be offered up here, with three books already percolating in my head. 
This is only a sampling of the stories clamoring to be released upon an unsuspecting public.  A very small sampling.  My list of To Be Written only seems to grow exponentially with every book I finish.   And so it goes.
I’m not complaining about having so much inspiration.  I’m complaining that I can’t write it all fast enough.  Every idea I get demands I start on it right away, and of course I can’t do that.  Being a very impatient creature, it drives me absolutely crazy that I have to delay the gratification of writing a new story.  I’m an incredibly frustrated author, but not for the usual reasons.
It’s a terrible, wonderful, anxiety-provoking problem to have.  If I’m honest, I’ll admit I prefer too many good ideas to not enough.  But I still can’t help but wish for the muse to miss me on his next couple of rounds.

First Five Friday – Alien Slave (Clans of Kalquor 5)

Chapter 3
            Afternoon overtook morning in the city of Ler before Dani awoke the next day.  A lovely cool breeze wafted into her room through the open window, along with the scents of food and the shouts of the open-air vendors.  The whir of shuttle traffic and music from buskers of varying talents created the constant hum of activity Dani had grown used to hearing outside her room.  She fingered the collar around her neck with its tracking device.  Every slave wore one, preventing escape from their respective brothels.   
Available from Amazon Kindle, Nook, Smashwords, and NCP

Update - May 31, 2012

The latest on my books:
Alien Interludes:  Clans of Kalquor Short Stories is doing terrific.  Thanks for supporting my foray into self-publishing, all!  You can get it on Kindle, Nook, Smashwords, and now Kobo.  And I did break down and release it in print for you tree book lovers (the cover is slightly different from the ebook due to formatting constraints).  Pick it up from Amazon.
Netherworld II:  Blood Potion No. 9 is scheduled for release on June 8 from New Concepts Publishing. 

The Font has been proofread and now possesses a gorgeous cover, thanks to Erin Dameron-Hill.  Look for it on Kindle, Nook, and Smashwords June 29.
Netherworld III:  Once Bitten Twice Dead now has a completed first draft.  You know what that means?  It means I can now start writhing the first draft of:
Alien Redemption (Clans of Kalquor 6):  The clan you created via polls on this blog is about to commence on their adventure. 
The Phucket List:  After a delay, this story is back on track.  My co-writer Megan Zeise and I are working hard on this fun-filled romp.
And here’s a little something for you to think about.  One of my readers suggested I write some prequels to the Clans of Kalquor books.  In these stories we would see how the men of the clans got together.  I am totally up for a run of prequels; a Clans of Kalquor Beginnings series.  Obviously, we are talking about mostly M/M/M sexual situations (which personally, I love).  I’m curious to know what the rest of you think, so I will post a poll starting tomorrow asking if you would or would not read this series.  Thanks in advance for participating.

WIP Wednesday – Netherworld III: Once Bitten Twice Dead

Something infernal is stalking Fulton Falls, destroying ghosts and turning the living into zombies.
            I trotted down the remains of the cobblestone road, ignoring the strange, electric sensation of roots and debris passing through my body.  A packed dirt cross street was just ahead, and I turned left off the cobblestone remains off the main drag to follow the cry I’d heard.            It came again.  It was definitely a sound of desperate panic, and I ran faster than ever to find whoever was making it.  I had no idea if it was a result of whatever had emptied out the other thin places or was a simple case of normal crime.  All I knew was that someone was in real trouble, and they needed help.            I raced past a row of brick and tabby building remains.  Movement to my left caught my eye, and I went towards it, darting around larger roots and trying to get a look at what hazards I was heading into.            An opening appeared before me, allowing me a sightline into an area not overgrown.  What I saw stopped me in my tracks.            A young woman, perhaps my own age when she’d died, was twisting and struggling.  Her pretty face, framed with pale blond hair, was wrenched with pain and terror as she fought.  Tears ran down her face.              As for what she fought … my eyes tried to make sense of it.  It was black with dull silver ripples running through it.  The best way I can describe it is it appeared like an oil slick come to life.  It ran in thick strands over the woman, clinging to her with hooks that appeared at its edges.  It wrapped her flailing limbs with the slow sinuous touch of a lover.  It made no sound at all.            The young woman went to her knees, still fighting.  She shrieked.  Over her head, a round blob stretched from the black thing, and I saw the silver ripples arrange themselves into the semblance of a face.  Eyes shimmered, the suggestion of a nose, and finally a smiling mouth that stretched wide to display glittering fangs.  The pseudo-face dipped down, depending from a long rope of black tentacle.  The face disappeared as it slithered forward, burying itself against the woman’s throat.
Tentatively scheduled for September 2012 release

Tutorial Tuesday - Outlining the Story

*Spoiler alert.  Examples from Alien Rule give away the ending.*

Writers usually fall into two camps:  those who outline their stories before embarking on the literary journey, and those who jump in headfirst, spilling the tale's guts from the word 'go'.   These two groups are also known as plotters and pantsers (as in writing by the seat of your pants).  If you've read my previous articles, no doubt you've figured out which type I am. 

I require a roadmap to start my journey, even though the destination frequently ends up at a different locale than I originally planned.  My characters decide they have better things to do more often than not.

 Those of you familiar with Alien Rule know how it ended:  a huge fight taking place in a shuttle bay that crescendoed with our heroes and heroine taking out their enemies once and for all.  The original outline called for a dungeon-type setting in which the heroine and one of the heroes were tortured until they managed to thwart their foes.  The revised ending turned out much more dynamic and more satisfying, in my opinion.  And here's where I want to make my biggest point:  no one should be married to the outline they make at the outset.  It's a guide, not the Ten Commandments chiseled in stone.  Your story will evolve. 

So why do I bother with an outline if two-thirds of the way through it becomes moot?  I have a few reasons.  First of all, it provides me inspiration to write every day even if my mood isn't quite up for it.  I never get writer's block.  NEVER.  I credit outlining with keeping me from getting stuck for what's going to happen next.  And when I realize the end of the story has changed, I re-outline so I don't forget which way inspiration is pointing me. 

That's another place outlining saves me.  I forget stuff.  A lot.  I have to write down the sudden brainstorms, or I'll lose really good scenes and their details.  Without my outline, I'm left with that terrible 'it's right on the tip of my tongue' feeling, and I can't always guarantee I'll get that memory back.

Next, it prevents the mid-book crisis.  That's when somewhere in the middle of the story you run out of steam.  You may know how the book will end, but midway through the energy has dropped out, the ideas have dried up, and you're at a loss as to how to get to that curtain call.  You're left flailing around, unable to push your way through without herculean effort.  This is where a lot of authors get lost and will sometimes give up the whole project entirely.  Many books are stillborn at this phase.

Finally, outlining helps to point out where you need to focus on research.  Say you're not the outdoorsy type but a sudden flash of inspiration dictates your main characters fight for survival in the Grand Canyon because their kayak was destroyed in the rapids.  Knowing this during the outlining phase rather than when you're poised to write these newly discovered scenes, you can:  1.   Google kayaking;  2.  Check the television schedule so you know when to watch survivalist Bear Grylls drink his own urine; and 3.  Plan your next vacation to include the Grand Canyon.

Now you don't have to worry about halting the flow of a full-on writing splurge.  Armed with the knowledge of how to survive in the wild until the park rangers arrive, you can write yourself silly when you reach that point in your story because you have the information you need at hand.

Making the Scene

I outline my stories in scenes rather than chapters.  This comes from my experience in writing scripts, in which every scene change demands separation.  I like writing in scenes because it's easier for me to transition from one situation to another.  I switch scenes when there's a change in setting or POV.

Outlining helps guarantee me the required word count for a novel.  I have figured out I usually write over 1000 words per scene.  Some are much longer, others shorter.  But since I know my personal average, I have found that 60 scenes per book will usually give me a total of 63,000 - 100,000 words.  That's a pretty good word count range for a mid- to full length novel, one publishers seem to be happy with.  So that's what I aim for.

Drawn and Quartered

My books are split into four parts.  The first quarter of the book deals with introducing the characters and getting the story's conflict underway.  The second quarter deepens the conflict, setting up a struggle between hero and the villain/situation and perhaps hero versus heroine.  The third quarter gives the story its smoothest sailing, in which while conflict continues to build, there is still the sense that all will be okay in the end.  Then the fourth quarter hits, throwing everything into chaos and threatening the happily-ever-after the readers are rooting for until the stunning climax resolves everything for better or for worse.

This is how Alien Rule mapped out:

First Quarter:  Introduction of Jessica and the Kalquorian Crown Prince Clan.  Highlighting that despite the mutual attraction between Earther and Kalquorians, there is no way Jessica can join the clan.

Second Quarter:  The clan and Jessica fall in love and want to be together more than anything. Conflict and circumstance throw larger and larger hurdles in their path, keeping them apart.  The struggle to overcome these hurdles is highlighted here.

Third Quarter:  Despite continuing obstacles, Jessica and the clan commit to each other, determined to be together no matter what.

Fourth Quarter:  All is lost.  A challenge to Jessica's fitness to be Kalquor's future Empress as well as abduction drive her from the men she loves.  The climactic fight to save her puts the clan in harm's way.

The Super Six - Something Big Happens

Before putting together the whole outline, I determine the pivotal points that the book hinges on.  These are the major scenes that drive the story.  These six main scenes are the opening scene, second quarter opening, middle of the book, fourth quarter opening, climax and end scene. 

Again using Alien Rule, here's how those scenes played out:

Opening Scene:  Looking for a Kalquorian clan to save her from a death sentence on Earth, Jessica performs an exotic dance for members of the alien race, hoping to attract mates.  Crown Princes Clajak, Bevau and Egilka are in attendance.  Despite being betrothed to another woman named Narpok, they are determined to seduce Jessica.

Second Quarter Opening:  Jessica, infatuated with the Crown Princes but refusing to be won by them, is captured by the three men.  The clan takes custody of Jessica so they can enjoy her for the short time they have before taking her to Kalquor to join another clan.

Middle of the Book:  In love with Jessica, Clajak, Bevau and Egilka renounce their unwanted betrothal to Narpok to make the Earth woman their mate despite the trouble they know it will cause.

Fourth Quarter Opening:  Jessica is abducted by the brutal enemies of her clan who plan to take her away from her mates forever.

Climax:  The clan and Jessica engage in a battle to the death against their enemies.

End Scene:  Jessica is formally acknowledged as the clan's mate and Empress of Kalquor.

And Now ... The Rest of The Story

Because I'm aiming for 60 scenes, I know that the Super Six will fall around the following points on my scene list:  Opening is Scene 1, Second Quarter Opening is Scene 15, Middle of the Book falls on Scene 30, Fourth Quarter Opening comes at about Scene 45, Climax is Scene 59, and End Scene is number 60.  These are approximations, obviously.  I have ended up with as few as 54 scenes in my initial outline and as many as 65.  It's a fluid number, changing as the story wills it.

Now I fill in the gaps between the major scenes, creating a list that will guide me along as I write.  I'll give you a rough example of how Alien Rule's first quarter scenes are laid out.

Scene 1, Opening Scene:  Looking for a Kalquorian clan to save her from a death sentence on Earth, Jessica performs an exotic dance for members of the alien race.  The Crown Princes Clajak, Bevau and Egilka are in attendance.  Despite being betrothed to another woman named Narpok, they are determined to seduce Jessica.
Scene 2:  Jessica preps for meeting a Kalquorian, discovers it is the leader of the Crown Prince Clan she will spend the night with.
Scene 3:  Jessica meets Prince Clajak, is seduced, and they make love.
Scene 4:  Next morning Jessica and Clajak make love again, Jessica discovers the clan is already betrothed to another woman, gets in argument with Clajak and storms out.
Scene 5:  Clajak and clanmates argue over royal duties and Clajak's refusal to perform them.
Scene 6:  Jessica meets Prince Bevau who apologizes for Clajak's behavior, he explains monogamy is not expected for a clan until they actually join with their betrothed, the clan's mate-to-be is a spoiled woman they do not like, Bevau and Jessica make love.
Scene 7:  Jessica and friend Michaela practice for upcoming Coming of Age Festival dance.
Scene 8:  Jessica accompanies friends to eatery where she meets the arrogant Prince Egilka, they argue, she storms off, he follows.
Scene 9:  Jessica and Egilka continue argument in the woods, Egilka coerces Jessica into having sex with him, despite the attraction Jessica now refuses to go to Kalquor because the attitudes of Egilka and Clajak have made such a bad impression on her.
Scene 10:  Egilka, Clajak, and Bevau make up with each other, discuss seducing Jessica further and convincing her to come to Kalquor with them.
Scene 11:  Jessica's nightmare, leaves her apartment in the middle of the night for a walk.
Scene 12:  Jessica encounters hostile Earther soldier, evades him.
Scene 13:  Jessica and Clajak have an encounter that ends with their lovemaking, attraction grows but Jessica still refuses to go to Kalquor.
Scene 14:  Jessica and Michaela dance at festival.
Scene 15:  Jessica pursued by Clajak's clan through festival grounds.
Scene 16, Second Quarter Opening:  Jessica, infatuated with the Crown Princes but determined to not be won by them, is captured by the three men who have fallen for her.  The group makes love on an altar in full view during the festival.  The Kalquorians take custody of Jessica, determined to enjoy her for the short time they can before taking her to Kalquor to join another clan.

I know now exactly where I'm going with this story, at least until something better comes along, as it usually does.  Still, every time I sit down at the computer to crank out that day's allotment, I'm never at a loss as to what I'll be writing.  I don't get stuck wondering how I'm getting from point A to point B.  I know what's coming up in the days ahead and if I'm fuzzy on the details, I can be sure to get my research in. 

If you're a pantser who gets bogged down and loses momentum on a regular basis or if you've always wanted to write but don't know where to start, give outlining a try.   It will keep you on track and might just save your story.

Monday Man Time

The tropical storm wandering over my home has me thinking about that song 'It's Raining Men'.  No such luck so far, so we'll settle for the eye candy:






Have a happy Memorial Day to those of you who celebrate it, and happy Monday to the rest!

Six Sentence Sunday – Alien Interludes: An Improper Proposal

Even better was the fact Jessica was little concerned with appearances too.  She came running towards the shuttle at full speed, skirt flapping wildly behind her, screaming her sibling’s name in a long, drawn out shriek:  “Liiiiiiiindseeeeey!”
And the elder sister, so not interested in descending regally at Bacoj’s side with Japohn and Vax trailing after, flew out of the shuttle.  Lindsey flung her arms wide as she screamed too, a wordless shout of triumph and joy.  The women met in an almost violent collision.  The air filled with their sobs and laughter, arms holding tight and lips peppering kisses on each others’ faces like lovers too long separated. 
Available from Amazon Kindle, Nook, and Smashwords